Alma De Groen's The Woman in the Window , having its world premiere Feb. 25 at the Melbourne Theatre in Melbourne, Australia, propels us from Stalin's Russia of the 1950s through to Australia in the year 2080. The producion runs through March 21.

Risking her life to continue writingm Russian poet Anna Akhmatova serves as an icon for her fierce resistance to the terror of the Stalinist regime.

In a moment when the horror of Akhmatova's existence becomes almost great to bear, she has visions of a young woman from an Australia of the future, an Australia without a sense of its history, a nation that has lost its soul. The young Australian is struggling to understand the power of language in a world dominated by technology and bureaucrats. This gives Akhmatova the conviction to keep writing and together the two women rediscover that poetry -- not politics -- has to nurture a nation's soul.

This collision of two worlds reminds us how fortunate we are in Australia's present.

Directing her first MTC production, Kate Cherry reflects 'By exploring the relationship between two extraordinary women, De Groen has created a story of courage and insight. Her passion for literature and history and fascination with technology have led De Groen to ask a vital question: what do we stand to lose in letting the uses of technology be dictated by market forces instead of what people actually value? For information: International: 61 3 9685 2480. Australia (03) 9685 2480. Group Bookings (030 9685 2481.

-- By Peter Kemp
Australia Correspondent